


Founder's Day

by saisei



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Episode Ardyn DLC, Episode Ignis DLC, Hats, Holidays, M/M, Minor Character Death, OT4, Schmoop, angst yeeeeee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:00:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28522809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saisei/pseuds/saisei
Summary: While on the roadtrip, Gladio, Prompto, Ignis, and Noct celebrate Founder's Day in style.For the prompt, "OT4, Last holiday together as a group , + angst yeeeeee".
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29
Collections: FFXV Book Club 2020 Holiday Exchange





	Founder's Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Crazyloststar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazyloststar/gifts).



"I've taken better pictures," Prompto said. His voice wavered but didn't crack; Gladio could see how hard he was working to keep a brave face on. "You sure you want that one, buddy?"

"Yeah." Noct held the photograph closer, like he was afraid someone would snatch it away.

Ignis tapped Gladio's arm, and Gladio scowled to himself for forgetting to keep him in the loop. "It's that one from Founder's Day."

They'd all done their best to set personal feelings – regret, love, fear, anger – aside when they'd dressed in their uniforms. Had to be there for Noct in this final battle, no matter what. Make him as proud of them as they were of him. But Ignis' expression cracked now, eyebrows raising over his visor in horror. "I'm shirtless in that one," he hissed, probably not meaning for his words to be overheard.

But Noct looked up, all of those pent-up emotions shining in his dark eyes. He smiled at each of them, reaching out to brush his fingers over Ignis' sleeve when it was his turn, and when he spoke his words were laced with humor. "And we all know why," he said, and slipped the picture inside his jacket.

*

Noct and Prompto had their snapback caps on and looked ridiculous, but Prompto refused to let Gladio and Ignis keep their dignity.

"It's Founder's Day!" he said, filching one of the newspapers Ignis kept to wrap fish in. "Hats for everyone. The bigger the better." He spread a sheet out on the table and started folding it, with more enthusiasm than precision. "Anyone here remember how to make one of these?"

Ignis met Gladio's gaze in a silent plea. Gladio shrugged – he thought it would be funny to watch Prompto screw up the hat origami – and Ignis gave one of his classic long-suffering sighs, pushing his glasses up with a finger before rising from his chair to go help.

Gladio stayed where he was, legs stretched out, soaking up the warmth of the sun. They'd had a rough week, and the holiday gave them an excuse to take a day or two to kick back at the haven and recover. Noct was itching to drag Gladio down to the lake and do some fishing, but they'd been up late last night and he was still one with his chair, nursing the mug of coffee Ignis had handed him when he'd stumbled out of the tent.

Gladio almost felt bad for wearing the kid out, except... well. He'd asked for it.

Thank the Founder for giving them time off to take sex slow and the space to be as noisy as they wanted to be. Thank their limited budget that they were in a haven; Ignis had decreed that they refrain from screwing around in motels, hotels, and caravans. Noct didn't get treated like a celebrity, but people knew that he was going to marry Lady Lunafreya, who had a massive cult following. Noct couldn't afford to jeopardize the peace treaty by getting caught in a sex scandal.

The situation sucked, but they were used to keeping a lid on their relationship. It had never been easy or open, and Gladio figured it only worked as well as it did because they'd gotten together when they were horny teenagers without much sense.

Even Ignis. (Prompto was trying to kiss him into distraction so he could slip the paper hat onto Ignis' head, but Ignis was wise to his tricks. Noct looked amused as he watched, and kept shooting wary glances at Gladio. No way was Gladio going to wear the hat without a fight. Noct could go ahead and try all he liked.)

Gladio knew he was operating with a nostalgic filter, and the past hadn't really been that simple or carefree. He'd been frustrated by so many things himself back then. Noct's strained relationship with his father left him sullen and angry for all of his teens. Ignis had had to walk a tightrope between his duties to the Crown and his friendship with Noct, and fell more often than not. And Prompto... he'd seemed like a refreshing breath of fresh air, cheerful and straightforward. But he'd had his own stuff going on.

Prompto had started messing around with Noct in high school – two teenaged boys, alone in an apartment with Eosnet access, it figured, right? Gladio assumed it wasn't anything serious and probably contributed to Noct being happier in general, so he didn't bring it up. But he wasn't surprised in the least when Ignis showed up on his doorstep in a tizzy to tell him he'd found out what was going on.

"So," Gladio'd asked, while Ignis paced up and down his living room, arms crossed and hair disheveled from being yanked on while he'd vented. "What do you want me to do? Buy them condoms? Lecture them about diseases to try and scare them?"

Ignis shot him a venomous glare, but his eyes had a suspicious glint to them, like he was on the verge of tears. " _No,_ " he said. His shoulders dropped and he looked more like a sulky teenager than he ever had. "Damn it."

Ignis never swore; Gladio was taken aback, because the only thing he could imagine that would explain such intense genuine misery was... unthinkable. He and Ignis were servants of the Crown. It would really suck if Ignis was head over heels for Noct.

Particularly since Gladio had kind of hoped that Ignis might be into _him_. Because he didn't know what was good for him, he walked over to intercept Ignis and wrap him up in a hug. He didn't expect Ignis to reciprocate – Ignis projected an aura of untouchability – but he did, and then he stretched up to kiss him, unskilled but fierce, like he was starving. Gladio kissed back, because pathetic or not he'd take what he could get. He got Ignis all worked up: Ignis' hands tucked in his back pockets, clinging to his ass while Gladio pressed his thigh up between Ignis' legs for him to rub against. Gladio would have liked nothing better than to haul Ignis upstairs and make him fall completely apart, but... he knew it wouldn't be right.

Which was why he slid his hand into Ignis' front pocket and groped his car keys. "Come on. We need to talk to Noct."

Ignis stopped mouthing the side of his neck. "We do not." Gladio jingled the keys, earning a muffled groan, Ignis' fingers tensing. "I wish I didn't know you're right."

Gladio kissed his forehead, hoping he wasn't ruining everything. "Suck it up, buttercup."

Ignis didn't talk much on the drive over. He had all his frown lines out in force, though, which meant he was preparing to say something Noct would hate and was bracing for his anger. Gladio had seen it all before.

When they got to the apartment, Noct took one look at Ignis – disheveled, lips red from kissing and with a bite mark on his neck that Gladio was pretty proud of – and yelled at him for being a hypocrite. Ignis flushed but countered that Noct didn't possess every part of his life, while Prompto, trying to be unnoticed in the corner of the sofa, looked so awkward and unhappy that Gladio had to interrupt to say fighting was a stupid waste of time, when the four of them could all be fucking.

He considered this the best idea he'd ever had, hands down. If they'd been just a year or two older, it'd have been evident just how much of a bad idea his best idea was. But they were young and horny, and sex was so much easier than trying to talk things out, especially emotions. When they woke up the next morning, tangled together on the floor of Noct's room, Ignis attempted some speech about how this couldn't happen again. Noct shut him up by kissing him into breathlessness, and then fell back asleep with his head on Ignis' stomach.

Logistics were the biggest problem: creating opportunities to be together without arousing unwanted attention, and finding a big enough bed. But they had a couple of really good years before Regis sacrificed Noct to Niflheim for the peace treaty.

"Luna knows Prompto's my boyfriend. I figured admitting that much was okay," Noct told Gladio, driving them aimlessly through the city after he got the news, trying to burn off his frustration. Gladio felt a stab of jealousy, even though he thought that was the best call Noct could have made. "It's just a political marriage. She hasn't asked me to give him up. Not that I'd want to lose any of you guys. I mean..." His hands tightened on the steering wheel. 

"It'll work out," Gladio said. He didn't believe that, though.

Which was why he wanted Noct to bank up good memories on this roadtrip. He'd help train him in new techniques for battle and for sex, he'd take him fishing, he'd let Noct tease him and he'd be there for him every step of the way, shielding him as long as he could.

He even gave in and wore the damn hat, just because it made Noct happy for some reason to warp up to him while he was getting the fishing gear out of the car and drop the thing down on his head. He let Prompto take pictures, and then made him carry half the stuff down to the pier, his chipper complaints music to Gladio's ears.

Ignis was never that keen on fishing for some weird reason, but he settled on the grassy shore with his notebook and caught up with all his documentation: notes on creatures and potions, recipes, their budget, and so on. The wide floppy brim of his hat did a good job of keeping the sun off his face.

When Prompto's enthusiasm melted under the afternoon sun, he curled up with his head in Ignis' lap and took a nap, Ignis petting his hair, trying to reverse the style damaged done by his snapback. Noct shared a grin with Gladio after successfully landing a hefty bluegill, and Gladio handed over an ice bomb lure he'd been holding back, telling Noct to make him proud.

Gladio considered himself a realist, and thought daydreaming about the impossible was a waste of time. No matter how much the selfish part of him wanted to stay happy like this forever, even taking the day off like this was irresponsible. It couldn't last; nothing could (although the stupid feelings he kept ignoring seemed to get stronger with every passing year – he'd have to see if he could do something about that).

At precisely three Ignis stood up, brisk and efficient, especially compared to the way Prompto staggered upright chirping _I'm awake!_

"Sure you are," Noct said. He didn't have anything on the line, so he looked around. "Time to head back?"

Ignis said he needn't rush, but he would appreciate any assistance with the preparations for the Founder's Feast.

Noct tossed his fishing rod away with a roll of his eyes at Gladio, who agreed that Ignis could have just said "yes" but... then he wouldn't be the guilt-tripping guy they knew and loved.

A typical Founder's Feast was hearty fish stew served with bread rolls, and pie for dessert. Ignis set Noct and Gladio to work cleaning the fish while Prompto peeled and chopped the vegetables; he preferred to do the baking himself – he didn't trust Prompto with the yeast, not after the Incident – and made the rolls traditionally, in the shapes of different hats. Noct called him a giant dork for doing that, and Ignis glowed as if that was high praise.

They gathered around the fire with their plates and bowls, and Noct settled for mumbling _Good food, good friends, next year we'll meet again_ instead of giving the kind of solemn speech that King Regis had always broadcast. Gladio was fine with that. He was starving, and to be honest he didn't feel especially grateful to the Founder King. He'd done a half-assed job at saving the world, and then left his descendants to deal with the Scourge and the daemons.

Noct had it right: it was better to be grateful for the people who loved you, who you'd die to protect.

After they'd all had seconds and had to loosen their belts, Gladio made everyone help clean up before dessert, because it was polite and also because he didn't want Noct exploding from overeating. That'd be embarrassing in the history books. Down at the water's edge, Ignis got caught in the middle of the waterfight that broke out, Gladio (potscrubbing) vs Team Noct and Prompto (dishes). Prompto managed to snatch off Ignis' paper hat and save it from destruction at the last second, but Gladio accidentally got him with a saucepan's worth of water, drenching him him head to toe.

Ignis looked hilariously indignant, like an enraged cat in a bath, but Gladio made the life-saving decision to grovel instead of pointing and laughing. He pulled Ignis' sodden shirt off over his head and tossed it in Prompto's face, then grabbing Ignis up in his arms the way he used to carry Iris around. Ignis burst out into surprised laughter, twisting to try and get down, but Noct told him to settle back and enjoy the ride.

Gladio was kind of surprised that Ignis took this advice, leaning back and crossing his ankles demurely, until he was halfway up the path to the haven and realizing that Ignis was a lot heavier and more awkward to haul around than a kid sister. Still, he had his pride, and managed to make his way up, out of breath and beaten by Prompto and Noct.

"Smile," Prompto said, setting the timer on his camera and jogging over to stand on Gladio's right. "We're just about to lose daylight."

"Say _We've got pie_ ," Noct prompted, taking the other side and showing off the pie to the camera.

The camera snapped off a dozen shots in succession, each one with increasingly ludicrous poses. Gladio put Ignis down after the last shutter snap, but he didn't let him go. After all, Ignis' trousers were still soggy, and he couldn't in good conscience let him keep wearing them. He might catch cold.

Maybe because they'd already eaten so much, it just made sense to leave the pie on the table with a cloth over it and drag Ignis into the tent and strip him naked; then Gladio because Ignis had made him damp; and then Noct and Prompto as well, because it was just more fun that way.

They finally ate the pie for breakfast, sitting around the fire in various states of satiated laziness (except for Ignis, who was making plans to break camp and go on a hunt). Prompto performed his ritual of pruning his pictures and saving the best ones to a password-locked card. The one he kept of all of them in their Founder's Day hats had Ignis half-naked and laughing, Noct brandishing pie, and Prompto gesturing at Gladio with both arms, like a circus ringleader showing off the strong man. Gladio thought he looked the most normal of all of them... aside from the hat.

They'd had other good memories after that, and took hundreds more ridiculous group photos. But Gladio was pleased, in a way, that Noct chose that picture to take with him into battle. Despite all the sex they'd had over those two days, it had still been a more innocent time. They'd been happy, and young, and in love, probably.

The picture reminded Gladio of all he stood to lose if the Crownsguard didn't hold their own and avert the fate Ignis had been shown in Altissia. The gods could try to kill Noct, but with Gladio around, they wouldn't succeed. Only Ardyn was dying today.

The battle went on for hours, and the Citadel's elevators had only had enough power for that first trip up to the throne room. When Noct killed Ardyn, he warped back up to confront his lingering undead soul in the Beyond, but Gladio and the others had to run the stairs, stumbling with exhaustion but propelled forward by terror. 

They reached the throne room to find Ravus, who'd been defending the Citadel's south side from the onslaught of daemons with Cor and the others, had gotten there before them and was pacing impatiently. Gladio managed a nod but had no time for pleasantries. He shoved through the doors, and when he saw Noct slumped on the throne he ran like his life depended on speed.

He was the first to reach Noct, who was cold to the touch, unbreathing, limp. He knew they didn't have much time, so he grabbed both sides of Noct's jacket and ripped them apart, then his shirt, baring his still chest and revealing the dozens and dozens of scars that now marked his chest.

He heard Prompto behind him, taking the steps two at a time, chanting _come on, come on, get a move on_ ; on his heels Ravus' heavier footsteps and muttered curses. Like a ghost materializing from the ether, Ignis appeared to Gladio's left just as Prompto and Ravus arrived, handing Ravus Lunafreya's notebook. In Ravus' uninjured hand, the book burst into sylleblossom-blue fire, rising until it took the form of a woman with long flowing hair. Together with Ravus, she pressed her hand to the wounds that had killed Noct and... somehow, they pulled him back from death.

 _I'm sorry_ , Luna said, leaning against Ravus, wreathing him with her healing flames. _I never wanted to leave you alone._

"Take me with you," Ravus pleaded. All the haughtiness and anger that he'd had during the long night was gone; he sounded like a lost child. "Is our mother there?"

 _I want you to find happiness_. Luna was fading, and Ravus clung to her. 

"Eos has its King," Ravus said. "I have defied the gods and fate itself, and all I ask in reward – " His voice trailed off. Gladio tensed, stepping forward as Ravus' form started to blur, dissolving into a mist that merged together with Luna and her fire. The magitek arm, no long attached to a body, dropped with a violent clatter, and at the noise Noct startled, gasping in a breath and opening his eyes.

"Noct?" Ignis asked, and Prompto reached around Gladio's back to grab him.

"He's alive." Prompto sounded light-headed. "Hey, buddy. Don't go where we can't follow, okay?"

Noct's mouth moved as he tried to speak, but all he could manage was a rough, "Yeah."

Gladio helped him to his feet, checking him over for injuries. "Is it done?"

Noct was as wobbly as a chocobo chick just out of the egg, but with Gladio's arm supporting him he managed a step, then another. "Ardyn's gone. So's the scourge."

Gladio looked out through the hole blasted in the wall. The sky looked pale; he was pretty sure that wasn't his imagination. "Good. Let's go home."

Noct could only manage a _haa_ of amusement. "This is home."

"Great," Prompto said. "Not walking a lot is hashtag-lifegoals right now." He'd grabbed Ignis' hand and was letting him lead the way down the steps. Gladio thought about pointing out how weird that was, but maybe it wasn't. Maybe this was how things were meant to be.

As Gladio led Noct down, keeping a good grip on him despite his protests, they left behind the Sword of the Father and Ravus' arm, a glittering handful of scattered uniform buttons and a fallen picture, trampled underfoot by someone's boots in the commotion. Gladio figured it didn't matter, now. They could make new memories; Prompto would take new pictures. They had all the time in the world.


End file.
